Ornithine

Ornithine is a non-proteinogenic amino acid that plays a central role in the urea cycle, functioning along with arginine and citrulline to rid the body of ammonia, a byproduct of protein digestion.

Structure

Ornithine is a non-proteinogenic amino acid that is produced from arginine, glutamate, and proline, while arginine, citrulline, and proline are derived from ornithine.

Function

Ornithine is one of the products of the action of the enzyme arginase on L-arginine, creating urea and ornithine. This is an extremely important process for the removal of ammonia from the body. The urea cycle is the only one of the twenty amino acids which is not involved in protein synthesis.

Clinical significance

Ornithine supplementation is often taken by body builders as a supplement to increase muscle mass. It is also used in the treatment of hyperammonemia, a condition characterized by high levels of ammonia in the blood.

See also

• Amino acid
• Urea cycle
• Arginine
• Citrulline

Ornithine Resources
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